The Zombie Combat Manual (11 page)

Staff:
This weapon has a long history in both Asian and Western combat arts. Known as the
bo
in Japan, the
guin
in China, and the quarterstaff in Europe, it is generally made of hardwood and anywhere from six to eight feet long.

With no sharp edges to cut, nor weighted ends to increase striking damage or penetration, the staff is primarily considered a nonlethal weapon popular with individuals, such as monks or friars, who would typically show mercy toward their attackers. Mercy, however, is a trait that cannot be afforded to the living dead.

The proficiency required to deliver a single incapacitating blow to a zombie with a staff, with its wooden structure and lack of an aggressive point, is very high. Individuals who can do so consistently have typically trained with this weapon for years. Given the staff’s weight and dimensions and the skill necessary to wield it effectively, thrusting attacks to the cranium have limited effect on the undead. It is highly difficult to penetrate a ghoul’s braincase with a thrust from a staff even if directed toward vulnerable areas, such as the ocular socket. The circumference of the weapon is typically larger than that of the average eyeball, not to mention the precision required to deliver such a blow. Centrifugal attacks will also do minimal damage on the undead skull, resulting in wounds that are mostly superficial in nature depending on your strength and ability to generate momentum with the weapon.

Staff Combat Strategies

With a limited ability to quickly deliver a neutralizing blow, how practical is this weapon in undead combat? The most effective application of the staff or any stafflike implement (broom handles, mops, painting rods) is to take advantage of the weapon’s length and keep the ghoul at bay, thereby obstructing its attack. This can be done by grasping one end of the staff with both hands and forcing the other end into the midsection of the zombie. In executing this technique, there is a slight chance of the ghoul grabbing or pushing the weapon out of the way. Most zombies will be too focused on reaching their prey to execute such a maneuver, but should this occur, reset your weapon and force the end of the staff back into the corpse.

Using this strategy, you can keep a zombie at a moderately safe distance indefinitely, provided you have the energy to do so. Do not dismiss the usefulness of this tactic, as it may provide a small window of time for you or your party to escape. This technique can also be used in coordination with another human to pin the ghoul down while your teammate delivers a finishing blow. If you have a sufficient strength and weight advantage over your attacker, you can also use this technique to maneuver the zombie backward and drive it over a ledge or embankment.

Given its limited destructive power, the staff should be a weapon of last resort, used only if no other choices are available. It does provide some advantage over being completely unarmed, and can be used effectively in a team-based operation.

Destructive Weapons

All other weapons in the long-range category fall under the destructive class, as they have the sufficient mass, weight, and structural properties to deliver incapacitating blows to the undead. Destructive long-range weapons fall roughly into three categories:

Polearms:
This class of weapon incorporates the length of a staff with the neutralizing power of a cutting or piercing head. Weapons in this category include the Swiss halberd, the Roman
pilum
, and the Japanese
naginata
. Although they are somewhat heavier at the blade/point end, they are generally more evenly balanced than long-range bludgeoning weapons with a large, heavy steel blade, such as the battle-axe.

Battle-axes:
A special class of axe developed specifically for combat, the battle-axe differs from a utilitarian axe by its extended length and wider blade structure. Like all common axes, battle-axes are heavier at the blade end, generating considerable momentum when swinging the weapon and landing on target with a great deal of force. People commonly associate the battle-axe with European medieval arms, but examples of this type of weapon can also be seen in the Chinese
guan dao
and the Greek
labrys
.

Great swords:
Longer and heavier than your average sword, great swords, also known as long swords, typically need to be brandished with both hands. Living up to their name, swords in this category can be up to six feet in length. Examples of this type of weapon include the Scottish claymore, the Japanese
nodachi
, and the German
zweihänder
.

Although there are a number of different weapons to choose from as your primary long-range protection, the following are evaluations on some specific armaments. We will also provide analysis for armaments that fall into the other combat ranges later in this text. Before we begin, let us take a moment to explain the various categories for each evaluation:

Effectiveness:
How quickly can the weapon neutralize the ghoul? The easier it is to end the engagement with a single blow, the higher the effectiveness rating.

Life span:
How many combat situations can the weapon endure before it needs to be repaired or replaced? The figures provided are average life spans for the weapons evaluated.

Skill level:
How skilled a combatant must you be to wield the weapon? Armaments that require little to no training would rate low, while weapons with a steep learning curve would rate very high.

Availability:
How easy is it to procure the weapon? If it is a matter of a pickup at the hardware store, the weapon is common. Arms that are custom forged or special ordered are very limited.

Cost:
How expensive is the weapon to purchase? A tool that costs a few dollars qualifies as very inexpensive, while those that run upwards of several hundred dollars fall on the opposite spectrum.

WEAPON EVALUATION: SPEAR

EFFECTIVENESS: MODERATE
LIFE SPAN: 100+ ZOMBIE ENGAGEMENTS
SKILL LEVEL: VERY HIGH
AVAILABILITY: VERY LIMITED
COST: MODERATE

OVERVIEW:
The spear has an illustrious history across many cultures as the quintessential long-distance combat weapon. Its extended reach and pointed tip, often made of iron or steel, have been used to effectively keep both man and beast at bay. Against an enemy that does not fear its sharpened spire, however, this weapon loses all of its deterrent capabilities.

Although the spear’s length provides the bearer a considerable level of safety against the living dead, the skill required to deliver a felling blow with this weapon is one of the highest among long-range arms. Stabs to the limbs and torso of an attacking ghoul are useless in thwarting its attack. Stories exist of those who have seen spears used ineffectively against the living dead, with several ghouls impaled on a single pike, each continuing to writhe and snap at its prey.

Using this weapon against a walking corpse requires a precise, thrusting strike to the skull in order to penetrate the brain. Targeting the eyes of an oncoming zombie, though effective, also necessitates an unwavering hand. Unskilled spear fighters often execute many ineffective thrusts, which can glance harmlessly off the sides of the corpse’s moving head as it closes in. The life span of the spear can also be somewhat finite depending on the number and severity of combat engagements. The shaft of the weapon is almost always made from wood, which makes it vulnerable to rot and splintering during undead combat.

WEAPON EVALUATION: VIKING AXE

EFFECTIVENESS: HIGH
LIFE SPAN: 200+ ZOMBIE ENGAGEMENTS
SKILL LEVEL: HIGH
AVAILABILITY: VERY LIMITED
COST: EXPENSIVE

OVERVIEW:
Combining the striking power of a hand axe with the length of a short staff, the Viking axe makes a formidable weapon against the living dead. As with all axes, the damage inflicted by this weapon comes primarily from its broad cutting edge, which is secured to a shaft more than three feet long. This two-handed weapon was made famous at the Battle of Hastings, where the Saxons used a version of this axe to cut down the horses of the Norman cavalry.

The most effective use of this particular weapon against the undead is for the bearer to swing it in a wide, circular arc and crash the blade down upon the skull of an attacking ghoul. As we discussed earlier in the section on anatomy, the primary attack target with any weapon should be the skull. As tempting as it may be, attacking areas on the torso with this weapon is not advised. Not only are those types of strikes ineffective, you run the risk of having the weapon lodge itself in the ghoul’s body cavity, making weapon extraction difficult. A forceful blow with the Viking axe to the neck, however, has the potential to separate the zombie’s head from its torso, which then must be followed up by a finishing blow to the brain.

As with the spear, the Viking axe’s greatest liability is its wooden handle, which may crack or splinter after extensive combat. Under normal circumstances, it would be a simple task to replace a damaged handle. During a large-scale undead outbreak, however, most natural resources, including axe handles, will most likely be in short supply.

WEAPON EVALUATION:
ZWEIHÄNDER

EFFECTIVENESS: HIGH
LIFE SPAN: 150+ ZOMBIE ENGAGEMENTS
SKILL LEVEL: HIGH
AVAILABILITY: VERY LIMITED
COST: VERY EXPENSIVE